Why is it that the average computer user still chooses to spend hundreds of dollars on Windows or Mac when there are countless Linux alternatives that they could download, install and make use of completely free of charge? Some answers here.

You are not an "elitist bastard". You are just telling the whole truth, and this is simply unbearable for some people.
Working in education, all I see day in and out is clueless people trying to perform monkey-tasks in their computers and bailing out the instant they don't recognize that new message on the screen. They don't even bother to read the message. Those few who do like to understand, do get an interest in Linux at the end.
Computing is all about getting the work done (at least for some people) but then again you MUST understand what the job is all about and how to do it. Since when is knowledge and brain-function a disadvantage?
Even more than that a computer is a superb creativity tool. Why would you use a tool that is essentially a brain-extender (like a pair of pliers is a strength-extender) as a brain-dead person? Brainless users don't need computers, and linux communities do not need them either. As I often say to my students when they do not use their brains: "We have twelve monkeys with monitors here (the labs PCS), I don't need another twelve operating them"
In fact I find that in such monkey environments, Linux has a definite advantage: At least they cannot break the OS, period. Windows needs a reinstall every other day or special third party programs to lock it down. (Still need the user to run as admin, otherwise lots of programs won't run)
Finally monkey users are completely unable to install an OS, any OS, and lets face it all installation programs are easy these days but they still require knowledge and understanding. Give the monkey Linux and tell it it is a computer and that's all there is to it, and it will be happy. Problem is you can't really buy a preinstalled Linux machine.